Temperature control means for electrically heated hair curler



Dec. 23, 1969 A. N. D'ELIA ETAL TEMPERATURE CONTROL MEANS FORELECTRICAL-LY vHEATED HAIR CURLER- Filed March 22, 1968 7 a ,2, m 0 Z Lj M .w 332 i M i M 2 ll w v fl n ma 1 a, ,//////,,////w// a Q .L- 4 1 5ia f a H I. M Z

ATTORNEY United States Patent US. Cl. 21-9222 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A hair curling assembly comprises an electrically heated haircurler and a base for detachably supporting the curler during heatingthereof. The curler includes a nonmetallic housing having disposedtherein a refractory ceramic insert having an electric heating coilwound thereon. The housing is provided with electrical contacts fordetachably electrically connecting the curler to mating electricalcontacts in the base when the curler is supported on the base. Athermostat is provided in the base for controlling the passage ofelectric power to the curler. A thermally conductive rod engages thethermostat and projects into the housing and into engagement with theinsert for transferring heat from the insert to the thermostat.

This invention relates to a cosmetic appliance and more particularly toan electrically heated hair curler and is a continuation-in-part ofapplication Ser. No. 606,780, filed Jan. 3, 1967, and application Ser.No. 581,336, filed Sept. 22, 1966.

Various types of roller curlers have been devised for use in settinghair. Many of these devices employ configurations and/or prongs aboutwhich the hair is entrained. It has been found, however, that whenroller curlers are used for obtaining hair settings, especially forstraight hair styling, application of heat is often desirable. One formof roller curler for hair previously employed was designed so that thehair curler could be heated by boiling in water, after which the heatedcurler was then used in setting the hair. This is a time consuming andunhandy procedure due to the fact that the heated curler is oftendifiicult, distasteful or painful to handle and therefore must beallowed to cool sufficiently to allow for the touching thereof by theuser thus reducing the effective operating temperature of the curler.However, the optimum temperature for use in setting the hair is in theorder of 145 F to 160 F. which may be somewhat distasteful to the touch,but when entrained in the hair and insulated thereby from the skin isunobtrusive. To this end, the present invention has for its object.theprovision of a hair curler that may be electrically heated and is soarranged that for a predetermined period after the curler has beensubjected to electric heating, the outer surface thereof is not heatedso that the curler is completely comfortable for handling in use whensetting the hair.

In carrying out the invention, the hair curler employs an insert of arefractory material such as ceramic, porcelain, or the like, which isdisposed in an outer housing or covering with the insert being soarranged to have an electric heating coil wound thereabout whereby afterthe heating coil has been excited for a predetermined period of time,the heat from the heating coil does not pass to the outer surface of thehousing for a further predetermined period of time, thereby allowing thehair curler to be employed before the outer surface heats "ice up andthus treats the hair entrained about the particular hair curler.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a hair curlerassembly having a novel arrangement of thermostaticcontrol means so thatthe hair curler may be safely and efficiently heated in a minimal periodof time.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a roller curler foruse in setting hair that may be electrically heated by simply plugginginto a suitable device, and which is provided with a thermostaticallycontrolled safety means for insuring against the possibility ofoverheating the roller curler, which safety means includes a basemounted thermostat, and a heat transfer rod engageable with thethermostat and extending into the curler. 7

It is a further object of the invention to provide a hair curler whichmay be safely and efiiciently heated in a minimal period of time, whichwill retain the heat.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a roller curler foruse in setting hair that may be electrically heated by simply plugginginto a suitable device, and which is provided with a thermostaticallycontroller safety means for insuring against the possibility ofoverheating the roller curler, which will retain the heat afterdisconnection.

Still further objects and features of the invention reside in theprovision of a roller curler that is simple in construction, strong anddurable, capable of being manufactured out of readily availablematerials, yet which may be utilized and employed in conventional hairsetting procedures and which will better condition the hair for aparticular styling by providing optimum amounts and degree of heat for apredetermined period of time.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention, which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by these roller curlers, preferred embodimentsbeing shown in the accompanying drawing, by way of example only,wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded vertical sectional view of a hair curler assemblyincluding a hair curler and energizing appliance utilized in accordancewith the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the roller curler looking in thedirection of line 22 in FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view of the parts in an assembledposition.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 generally designates a preferred embodiment of theinvention, which includes two main portions, an energizing appliance 12and a roller curler, generally designated at 14. The roller curler 14includes an outer housing 16 provided with cylindrical side walls 18, anupper end wall or top 20, which is integral with the side walls and alower sleeve portion 22 which extends below cylindrically shapedelectrically insulated insert 24 concentrically disposed within thehousing 16.

The insert 24 is of a non-conductive material, preferably formed of arefractory ceramic or porcelain-like substance, and is provided with apair of spaced bores 26 and 28 therethrough disposed centrally and wellinwardly from the outer surface of the ceramic insert 24.

The insert 24 is securely mounted in a phenolic sleeve 30, with which itis coextensive, disposed within the outer housing 16 around which aNichrome heating element 32 is disposed. A mica or like insulativeshield 33 is positioned between the outer housing 16 and the phenolicsleeve 30. A contact prong 34 extends through the bore 28 of the insert24 which prong 34 is connected to one end of the Nichrome heatingelement 32. The Nichrome heating element 32 is spirally wrapped aboutthe phenolic sleeve 30 and is connected to a wire conductor 38, which isconnected to the other prong 36 so as to complete an operable electricalcircuit within the housing of the roller curler.

The prongs 34 and 36 extend through and below an insulative plate 44which is disposed beneath and immediately adjacent the lower end ofinsert 24. The exposed portions of prongs 34 and 36 are entirelycontained within the sleeve portion 22 of the housing 16 and are adaptedto be inserted in socket openings 50 and 52 in a raised receptacle 54 ofthe energizing appliance or base 12. The receptacle 54 is connected inany suitable manner through an electrical cord 56 and an outlet plug 58to a suitable source of electric power. The receptacle is of such a sizethat the sleeve portion 22 snugly fits thereover, preventing thepossibility of electric shock occurring to the user.

Mounted in the base 12 below the receptacle 54 is a thermostat 60 ofconventional construction. The thermostat 60 is electrically connectedbetween the plug 58 and sockets 50 and 52 and controls flow of electricpower thereto. heat transfer rod 62 extends upwardly from the thermostat60 and lies between the ceramic insert 24 and sleeve 30 in a cavityformed at the periphery of insert 24 and against inner surface of thesleeve 30, eccentrically disposed with respect to the longitudinalcenter line of the housing 16 and alternatively, may be fixed in anysuitable manner to the energizing appliance 12 such as by being embeddedtherein. The rod is adapted to engage the thermostat 60 and transferheat thereto. The rod extends through the opening 55 in the plate 44.

Alternatively, the rod 62 can be detachably received in the rollercurler 14 or in the base 12.

Of course, any number of receptacles 54 can be employed. A signal light66 showing actuation of each thermostat 60 can be provided and isconnected in series With the thermostat 60.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

We claim:

1. A hair curling assembly comprising a hollow nonmetallic housingforming a hair curler, a non-metallic insert disposed in andsubstantially filling said housing, an electric heating coil wound onsaid insert, a base, cooperating, mating electrical connection means onsaid base and said housing for electrically detachably interconnectingsaid housing and said base, said heating coil being electricallyconnected to said connection means on said housing, means electricallyconnecting said connection means on said base to a source of electricalpower, thermostatic control means in said base in circuit with saidconnection means on said base for controlling the passage of electricalpower from said source to said connection means on said base, and athermally conductive rod carried by one of said base and said housingand projecting therefrom, with the other of said base and said In use,the hair surler 14 is disposed into engagement 2 with the receptacle 54for approximately 25 seconds at which time the thermostat 60 will openthe circuit. However, the heat supplied by the Nichrome heating element32 will take a period of approximately thirty secondsto pass to theouter surface of the housing 16 so that for approximately one-half aminute, the hair curler 14 is convenient and comfortable to hold. Afterthe hair curler has been inserted in the hair, it will give off anoptimum amount and degree of heat for hair setting.

It is to be understood that ceramic material utilized is of a nature aswill hold the heat which is transmitted therethrough for a preiod oftime as will be sufiicient to effectuate the curling of the hair.

In use, the preheated hair curler will be positioned on the head of theuser and the hair will be wound around the curler after which asecurement clip or band, not shown, will be inserted to maintain thehair about the curler.

housing having receiving means receiving said rod, said rod being inheat transfer engagement with said thermostatic control means and withsaid insert.

2. A hair curling assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rod issecured to said base and is removably received in said housing.

3. A hair curling assembly according to claim 2, wherein said rod isfixed to said base and said thermostat.

4. A hair curling assembly according to claim 1, wherein said rod iseccentrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal center line ofsaidhousing.

5. A hair curling assembly according to claim 1, where in saidconnection means includes sockets in said base, and prongs detachablyreceived in said sockets depending from said housing.

References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,244 11/1930 Oswald219-222 2,834,868 5/1958 Greene et a1. 2l9442 X 2,856,508 10/1958 Kueser219-442 3,283,122 11/1966 McNair 219222 FOREIGN PATENTS 698,900 11/ 1930France.

ANTHONY BARTIS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

